


When You Wish Upon A Star

by NekoIzumi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 06:44:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NekoIzumi/pseuds/NekoIzumi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dreams can come true when you wish upon a star.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When You Wish Upon A Star

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer; I don't own Naruto, I don't want to. Neither do I profit from writing this fic.
> 
> I do NOT give permission to have any of my works put up on Goodreads or any other such site.

When You Wish upon a Star

 

“Shino, I can explain, just let me explain!”  
The Aburame didn’t bother to hear more though, he really had no reason listen. How did you explain cheating?  
‘Well, you see, I slipped on the carpet and his cock was so kind to catch my naked lubed ass from falling to the floor… again and again and again…’  
He calmly put the key on the kitchen counter and proceeded to walk out through the door. Being of the suspicious nature that he was he hadn’t quite trusted the Inuzuka with his own spare, something had simply told him not to and fortunate was that. Not to mention he had always considered it a bit rude to leave his things at someone else’s place… which in turn meant all he had to do was to get rid of Kiba’s stuff to move on with his life.

Shino didn’t bother to turn around as he exited the building and headed for his car. If judging by the shrieks that soon echoed behind him the brunet had apparently rushed out in nothing but his birthday suit.  
The raven couldn’t have cared less. Inuzuka Kiba and his humongous dog that drooled and moulted everywhere were a finished chapter and Aburame Shino was moving on.

-

Although… he probably should’ve moved to a better location. Shino **hated** snow, he loathed it from the bottom of his heart… so why had he uprooted himself and moved to the freaking **Alps!?** Nothing else but too much booze could’ve hatched **that** brilliant idea. Not only was it snowing the better portion of the year, it was dark outside 24/7 the better portion of the year as well! Aburame Shino, who froze if only he opened the refrigerator and that thrived in sunlight… had ended up opening a bookstore in his own personal hell.

The pale man’s teeth chattered as he opened the door and reached in for the light switch. He had always wanted to open a bookstore and now he had… but he **really** should’ve reconsidered building that dream on a mountainside. The thought that fall and more importantly, winter, followed summer hadn’t really occurred to him when he came here in the middle of June 6 months ago. Thankfully his little store was a hit and against all odds had actually profited in the first half year rather than being a loss as is the norm. On the other hand, that might be because the raven sold not only books of all kinds but also stationary appliances, postcards, stickers, smelling erasers and all other sorts of trinkets that you usually find in a bookstore. The kids adored the new glitter glue he had gotten last week and the local schools bought all their material through him now.

Shino sighed where he walked around in the store lighting advent candle sticks and the big plastic tree in the corner. It would be Christmas soon, a time for joy and giving, a time for buying presents and singing carols. Too bad for the raven that he had no one to buy a present for or sing carols with. Not that he would’ve ever been caught singing but it would've been nice to have someone to celebrate with. Seeing all the lovey-dovey bloody tourists coming to **this** particular mountain and village to ski wasn’t making things easier either.

Mercury eyes looked around in the store fondly. It was decorated old fashion style with a lot of woodwork, masterly carved details and warm colours that came from such natural materials, it was a homey place to be. The store wasn’t all that big per se but it was more than enough for Shino. People felt truly welcome when they came to _‘Aburame’s Treasury’_ , just like he hoped they would. The name of course was ridiculous but for some reason people seemed to like it.

Again the dark-haired man felt a pang of loneliness when he looked around. It was his dream… a dream he had no one to share with. Silently he glanced out through the decorated show-window, up at the North Star still twinkling so brightly in December morning-sky.

 _‘This Christmas I would like to find true love for a present, Santa.’_ he though, trying to chase the chill away. _‘I’d like to find someone to love that actually loves me back, a generous and happy person that can share this dream with me and that wants me to share theirs.’_   A barely there smile graced the soft lips when he thought about his own slightly childish wish. _‘Yeah… I'm ready to love again.’_

As the phone rang and the raven hurried to answer, the North Star, only for a breath… twinkled just a little faster.

-

Blue eyes looked around in the empty bar room dreamily. Finally! He had planned, and saved, and planned some more and now, now he could finally do what he had always dreamt of. Opening his own café.  
All the papers were signed, bakeries were contracted, machines bought and furniture picked out. As for renovating the place and doing the dirty work, Naruto had decided to do just about all that he could himself. He had loads of work ahead of him but he looked forward to it, each and every single blister he wanted. He had to varnish the beautiful hardwood floors, he had to paint and wallpaper all the walls once he had pasted over all the holes and whatnots and he had to bring in professionals for all the plumbing and electrical things that needed to be done… but that wasn’t a problem. He could without the shadow of a doubt afford it all!

Even now, not even anywhere **near** opening day, if he closed his eyes and really listened, he could hear the sounds of people chatting, china clattering and the slight hissing from the espresso machine. Coffee in different shapes, sizes and flavours, teas, juices and his own favourite, hot chocolate, he'd sell it all along with delicious pastries, healthy sandwiches and mouth-watering sweets. However, before he could as much as start his overhaul there was one thing he had to do. He had to go give the owner of the store next door a heads up first. To get this up and running as fast as possible the blonde planned on long hours… which probably wouldn’t sit too well with his neighbour if he didn’t warn him first.

Said and done. He quickly locked the door behind him, mentally cursing for forgetting his jacket inside in this freezing weather, and hurried over to the other shop already shuddering. Being so into his fantasy-land, the blonde had never actually been to _‘Aburame's Treasury’_ before… and that’s the main reason to why he was virtually floored when he stepped inside. It was still early morning and there were no customers there yet but wow!

This definitely wasn’t your average dull stationary and bookseller. Sure, there were shelf after shelf with factual studies, fiction, children’s books, travel guides, self-help books and only gods knew what more among all the sets of pens, brushes, calendars, stationary supplies and calculators… but it was the **atmosphere** that sucker punched him.  
And then he didn’t even include the genius of fairy-tale corner for small children to come hear stories, or the fantastic idea of having a circular counter in the middle of the store. Not to mention the amazing Christmas-decorations everywhere!

Just about to call out for the owner Naruto nearly swallowed his tongue when the most breath-taking beauty of a man stepped out from the outer room. The slim glasses did nothing to conceal the aristocratic features but rather accentuated them generously. Astonishing grey eyes blinked at him questioningly.  
“How may I help you, sir?” His voice was a low hum and wrapped around the whiskered man’s mind like warm honey.  
“I-eh… I mean-… I'm here to-… sorry, excuse me.”  
The raven blinked when the blonde abruptly turned on his heel and left the store. A dark brow rose confusedly. _‘Doesn’t seem like he has all horses in the stable that one.’  
_ Having shrugged the odd encounter off the Aburame returned to his inventory.

-

The very next morning Shino found himself blinking at the strange blonde from the previous day… again.  
“Can I help you **this** time, sir?” he asked unsurely.  
“Firstly, I’d like to apologize for my behaviour yesterday.” came the firm answer. For some reason the paler man suspected it had been practiced. A lot. He nodded.  
“Nothing to apologize for.”  
“And secondly…” the blonde continued without ado. “I’d like to warn you about noise from next door.” He suddenly blushed. “I'm going to open a coffee shop there and I need to renovate the store first.” _‘I would’ve said it yesterday but you fried all my circuits before I got the chance to.’_ he mentally added but smiled warmly as he stretched out his hand. “I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Nice to meet you, neighbour.”

The smaller man shook the hand with a surprisingly firm grip.  
“Aburame Shino. Likewise.” He tilted his head a little to the side while scrutinizing the other. “You’re going to do all the work yourself?”  
“Not the stuff that needs certificates from professionals like plumbing and electrics and stuff, but everything else, yes.”  
“This is an old building, sir, I recommend you to check for mould and water damage before you start. I had a guy look at my store before I opened it and he found a weak bearing wall and rotten floorboards… among other things.”  
Blue eyes blinked at first… but then he nodded.  
“I’ll do that. The papers said the place was fine but better safe than sorry.”  
“Indeed.”

After a minute or two of awkward silence Naruto scratched the back of his head and backed towards the door.  
“Well, I should get going, I have a few phone calls to make and a whole butt load of work.”  
“Please do take care.”  
“I will, and thank you for the tip. About the floor I mean.” That was the second day in a row that the Uzumaki felt like an idiot while leaving the bookstore.

-

3 days later…

-

Being on his lunch break, Shino glanced towards the big windows to the neighbouring shop. They were all covered with thick brown paper to prevent curious ones from peeking in but there had been music coming from there since 8 that morning. Hesitating only for a second the Aburame stepped up to the door and knocked. When the music abruptly stopped he knocked again. A moment later the oddly whiskered man opened to peer out at him in the sunlight.  
“Sir?”

Some remote part of Shino's brain had him holding up the bag from the convenience store like some Girl Scout selling cookies.  
“Have you had lunch yet, sir? I wouldn’t mind sharing mine.”  
He blamed the sun for sounding like a complete schmuck, oh yes, he did. Because it was the sun that made those blue eyes sparkle like carefully cut and polished gems, it was the sun that made the unruly tresses shimmer like the finest woven goldthreads and it was the damn **sun** that made the permanently tanned skin look like heavily creamed tea. The fact that the guy had an amazing smile and a voice that sounded like a content purr only gave him bonuses obviously.

Naruto blinked at the smaller male and then flashed him one of those warm smiles that he never seemed to run out of.  
“I had completely forgotten about lunch! Please do come in!” he beamed while closing the door behind his company. “It’s a little messy in here but don’t worry, I’ll wipe a chair off for you.”  
Shino glanced at the only chair in the room.  
“And where will you sit, Mr Uzumaki?”  
“The name is Naruto and I’ll sit on the floor.” the blonde chuckled while grabbing a cloth. I'm sanding the old varnish off so that chair is probably cleaner than I am.”

5 minutes later both men sat in silence eating. While the raven felt slightly awkward the whiskered man didn’t seem to notice at all. He looked perfectly content chewing on-… the most delectable looking baguette the Aburame had ever seen! The smell coming from it had his mouth watering all in its own! It made his own ham and cheese-sandwich seem so dull and pathetic.

“Excuse me, sir, but where did you get that?”  
He was gifted with a confused look and a glance towards the meal in strong tanned hands.  
“This?”  
“Yes. It looks delicious and I’d like to buy one for tomorrow.”  
The Uzumaki smiled while finishing what he had in his mouth before answering.  
“I’d be delighted to make you one. Would you like it with tuna or chicken?”  
Shino almost dropped his own lunch.  
“You made it?”  
“There is a good reason behind my wish to start a café, Mr Aburame.” The gleam in his eyes was impish. “You see, I like to cook, not cook as in make real meals but rather as in preparing a nice snack, be it sandwiches, cake or fruit salads.”  
“O- Oh…”  
“Don’t you like to cook?”  
“Yes, of course I do. That’s why I buy my lunch at 7Eleven.”

The larger male laughed out loud. This beautiful, and surprisingly shy man right here, had a nice sense of humour underneath the stoic façade.  
“Point taken. So… tuna or chicken?”  
An adorable pink graced the pale cheeks.  
“Chicken, please.”

-

Having been told to come over at noon Shino was actually nervous when he locked the door. Normally, walking to a meeting would’ve calmed him down but since he was only going to the store next door, the short walk didn’t help him at all. He cursed himself for behaving like some girl on a date what with all the checking his hair, teeth, clothes and breath. Why was he checking his breath by the way!? It’s not like the blonde was going to chew the food _for_ him!

…well, there's a thought.

 _‘No, no, no, no, NO! I'm not going to run head first into another fiasco, not when I don’t even know whether the man’s gay or not! A friend, I’ll be a friend and at least get **some** social life.’_ Firmly nodding at himself he knocked on the door. This situation was too weird, really.

Still off in his own little world, the Aburame was figuratively knocked down when the door opened and the blonde smiled at him happily.  
“Right on time! Come on in!”

Mercury eyes stared at the black turtleneck and the light blue jeans. What the hell was the guy wearing!? Those weren’t clothes to fix a floor in!  
Still completely thunderstruck Shino followed the whiskered man inside… only to get the next punch in the gut.  
A blanket on the floor, living candles, neatly folded napkins and a huge thermos of tea.  
“Mr Naruto?”  
“Naruto.”  
“Na-Naruto… is this a date?”

The question had the larger man stopping dead in his tracks and blushing furiously. Slowly he turned around to face the other.  
“D-date? Is-… is this a date?”  
“I'm asking you.”

The two men blinked comically at each other. The Uzumaki scratched the back of his head sheepishly.  
“Listen, I wasn’t intending anything, I just wanted it to look less like a construction site and more like a restaurant.”  
The paler man refused to admit that he felt a sting of disappointment. Yet feeling just that he pressed out a smile.  
“Oh, my bad then. I apologize.”

He had barely sat down before Naruto pressed out the next nervous question.  
“Mr Aburame… are you-… are you perhaps… gay?”  
Very nearly falling down on his rear the last inch a dark brow rose as Shino regained the lost fraction of balance.  
“I am.” He studied the blonde flopping down and rummaging through food boxes. “And you?”  
“I'm as straight as a pole and play on the other side of the fence so to speak.” came the low answer. “I'm sorry, I never meant to make you uncomfortable.”  
“Does my sexuality make you uncomfortable?” Let’s see what the straight guy thinks about the queer eye, hm?  
The whiskered man only shrugged though.

“You can bend it like Beckham for all I care, I see people, not genders, colours or status. As long as you're comfortable in your own skin I couldn’t have cared less.”  
Mercury eyes stared at the softly smiling Uzumaki.  
“Seriously?”  
“Yes, that’s what I believe. With your face it doesn’t surprise me at all that men go after you. You're a very beautiful man.”  
The raven felt the tips of his ears burn.  
“I beg your pardon!?”  
“You saw how moronically I behaved when I first walked into your store, didn’t you?”

Confused, the Aburame absentmindedly took a bite of the offered sandwich… and abruptly had an oral orgasm.  
His eyes very nearly rolled back from the sensations on his tongue. He wasn’t aware of groaning out loud and hadn’t it been for the wide-eyed stare from the blonde, he probably wouldn’t have noticed doing it at all.  
“Yes, I saw.” he calmly continued after swallowing. “I thought perhaps your head wasn’t screwed on right.”  
“Hey! I didn’t look **that** stupid!” the other huffed.  
Shino only shrugged and held out his cup for tea, which the blonde automatically filled.  
“Well, what was I supposed to think when a stranger comes into my store in the early morning, stares at me while pressing out a few incoherent syllables before rushing out again?”

It was cruel to use cold logic against someone’s stinging ego. The Uzumaki muttered sourly over his own tea.  
“You could’ve thought I was thunderstruck by your beauty.” he grumbled.  
“I don’t coldly assume all men are gay… or into my looks.”  
“You thought I was gay.”  
The Aburame tilted his head a little.  
“Straight men aren’t famous for floor picnics and interior decorating unless they’re playing in a very high league.”  
“Well, straight men that want to open cafes are!”  
“No offense.”  
“Hell yes, offense! Are you telling me that a man that cooks food, enjoys a good latte, does one romantic thing or two **has** to be gay? That’s like saying all buff men that drink beer, belch and scratch their balls while smelling their armpits are straight!”

Completely stupefied Shino blinked widely at the huffing blonde.  
“Straight men do those things?”  
Equally stupefied blue eyes blinked right back.  
“They don’t?”  
“I wouldn’t know. And aren’t you arguing for the wrong side of the fence here?”  
“There **is** no fence, only narrow-minded people.”

The Aburame only nodded and for a few minutes the two sat in silence while eating. The one who broke the hush however, was Shino.  
“Thank you… Naruto.”

A blonde brow rising was the only sign he asked since he had his mouth full. “For accepting me and what I am, I mean. It means a lot to me.” he obediently answered.  
The Uzumaki nodded again but watched him intently while eating.  
“May I ask a personal question, Mr Aburame?” he suddenly asked lowly. For all intents and purposes he was really curious about the answer.  
“Yes?”  
“Why… why are you single?” Naruto shrugged at the flinch. “I've been here for little over a week now and during that time I haven’t seen you with anyone or talk to anyone outside work. Considering you're beautiful, intelligent and of a calm nature for all I can see, I don’t really understand the lack of lovers.”

He saw the sudden sadness on the pale features and for some reason he understood he could see it because the smaller male let him rather than anything else. This one man right here must be so used to holding it all in that it must feel liberating to be able to let the feelings out.  
“I came here half a year ago because I couldn’t stand living in the same city as my ex.”  
“He suddenly realized he was straight and got married? I've heard that’s quite common in the gay-community.”  
“No, more like he screwed others behind my back.” came the low answer as the raven sipped some tea. “I didn’t really give him a chance to explain, I only left my key on the counter and left. 2 weeks later I sold my apartment and my car, quit my job, grabbed my savings and came here.”

The blonde winced.  
“Sorry for snooping but from where I stand he didn’t deserve you if he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.”  
“His legs together actually.” Grey eyes blinked behind the glasses when the permanently tanned man suddenly blushed rather intensely. “What?”  
“What-… what does it feel like to uhm… to be with a man?”

The Aburame looked at him peculiarly while finishing his sandwich.  
“As good as it feels being with a woman, I assume?”  
The blush on whiskered cheeks positively flamed.  
“No, I mean-… what does it feel like to take a man in the ar-… posterior?”  
Shino nearly choked on his tea and started laughed out loud.  
“Nice save there. Well, since men don’t have a vagina or the hollow space inside the pelvis that comes with one of those, I can only guess that a man’s ‘posterior’ is a tighter fit?”  
“Have you ever-… I mean…” Again he wasn’t able to finish his question, only blush while looking away screwing his eyes shut. Shino, suddenly finding a slightly sadistic streak in himself, smirked almost evilly.  
“Have I ever been fucked up the ass?” he finished the larger man’s question… and earned a squeak. He couldn’t but chuckle. “Or do you mean have I ever sucked cock?”  
Huge cerulean eyes stared at him had he just said he had had a rosebush for breakfast. The raven offered a friendly smile.

“I can’t believe you just said all that! You kiss your mother with that mouth!?”  
Dark eyebrows rose questioningly.  
“Why shouldn’t I?” He sipped his tea calmly. “Besides… that’s what you're wondering, right?”  
The whiskered man pouted.  
“Well… yeah.” He shot the other a glance. “Have you?”  
“Been fucked up the ass or sucked cock?”  
Naruto blushed harder.  
“…both? …either?”  
“The ‘roles’ in a gay relationship aren’t cemented, Naruto.” the Aburame mused. “A man that prefers to give might as well enjoy receiving and as for the oral, it’s pretty much the same for me as for you.”  
The Uzumaki pondered the answer for a minute and then nodded.  
“That makes sense I guess.” Another minute. “Which do you prefer, Aburame?”

“My, my… you really **do** ask personal questions, don’t you?”  
It earned the raven a pout.  
“It’s not like you **have** to answer and you're the first gay man that I've dared to ask.” A mental image of Lee popped into his mind and he shuddered. “I do know other gay men but they scare me.”  
“Because they hit on you?”  
“No, I don’t care about that, but because they’re a bit-… frivolous? Lee is-… let’s just say he’s at the extreme end of the scale.”  
“Hard-core leather gay?”  
“More like frilly youthful gay in green spandex.”  
This time Shino was the one to choke.  
“Extreme indeed.” he pressed out coughing. “He’s the stereotypical flower-fag it seems.”  
“So… which one is it?”

The two men eyed each other before the raven gave up and sighed.  
“Bottom.” he muttered. “I prefer to bottom.”  
This time the question in blue eyes wasn’t as obvious as before. Fortunately, the blonde clarified.  
“So if you like to take it, Mr Aburame… and your ex couldn’t keep his legs together… who topped?”  
“I did. I told you, roles aren’t cemented. Between two bottoms the most aggressive usually gets what he wants. And call me Shino, after this conversation there certainly is no need for formalities.” Shino mentally raised an eyebrow at the look on whiskered features. “Now what?”  
“Are you ashamed of your preference?”

He wasn’t prepared for the question on any level at all.  
“Excuse me?”  
Naruto shrugged.  
“I just got the feeling that you're ashamed of preferring to be held. I’d say that’s foolish since I'm sure there are a lot of gay men that prefers to do the holding, regardless of being switchers or not. If any, I feel sorry for you since your ex obviously wasn’t as interested in satisfying you as in satisfying himself.”

The Aburame was completely shell-shocked to hear that. It was so right on it burned to realize he hadn’t seen it himself. Stunned, and suddenly so very hurt, he looked away. The blonde was right. Kiba had always been the one to enjoy it the most, he had always been the one to be serviced. It made the paler man feel cheap, filthy somehow.  
He flinched when strong arms suddenly pulled him to a broad solid chest. “I'm sorry.” the Uzumaki mumbled softly. “It was just an observation, I never meant to insult or hurt you.”

“Why are you hugging a gay man?” He needed distance, he needed to find composure else he'd break down and humour seemed like an exit as good as any. “I might rub off gay on you.”  
“I don’t care if you do.” Naruto held the paler man harder. “I happen to be a caring nature and right now every bone in my body tells me to comfort you as best as I can.”  
Screw composure.  
Shino finally broke down… and cried.

-

Idiot, idiot, idiot. He felt like a complete idiot. And the creepily intuitive blonde wouldn’t let him live it down… or forget it. Naruto had come over every day the past three days to eat lunch together and what's worse, he made the humiliated raven feel better. He made him laugh out loud, he astonished him and he made him stare completely thunderstruck more than once… like the time he had stuttered a barely coherent question about dildos. Of course he hadn’t mentioned the hug… or the sobbing… or the comforting nonsense he had mumbled in a pale ear, he was far too discreet and far too gentle for that… but Shino remembered himself every time he saw the gorgeous whiskered features. It was torture! Caring nature his ass!  
The blonde was a psychic!

The Aburame sighed where he stood behind the counter. Damn all the women out there! Some very lucky girl would come along sooner or later and steal the Uzumaki's heart away while the pitiful excuse of a gay man would stay single and probably end up invited to a wedding that he would so dearly want to curse so the marriage failed and the skank disappeared. He wouldn’t though. No, he'd pray it would be a happy marriage because he wanted the big doofus to always be happy and smile. A dark part of the raven’s mind called him a hypocrite but he resolutely ignored it. Being willing to wear a white dress just to have the blonde to himself didn’t make him a hypocrite, it made him a fool. A gay fool that had given his queer little heart to a straight man. _‘Good job, Aburame. You did exactly what you weren’t supposed to.’_

He blinked when the door flew open and his crush entered, smiling as usual. Snowflakes in the unruly golden bedhead had the spectacled man’s heart skipping a beat. _‘Can’t you grow a zit or something, you Chippendale-wannabe you?’_  
“Shino, do you have time?”  
“Well, the shop is empty of customers if that’s what you're asking?”  
“Ah… okay. Anyways, can I ask you a favour?”  
“Of course.”

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly in that way that the Aburame had learnt meant he wasn’t comfortable at all. Dark brows slowly rose.  
“You see… the thing is I have to go home this weekend to help my parents move. They just bought a bigger house and need my help but Sakura called just a minute ago saying she’ll come this weekend to pick up some stuff so I was wondering if you could let her in?”  
Shino's heart cracked.  
“Sakura? Your girlfriend is visiting?” he asked with a cheer in his voice that he didn’t feel.  
The blonde grimaced.  
“Gods, no. She's dating Sasuke, they're my childhood-friends. I'm just waiting for those two to get hitched and start spawning little evil pink haired glaring mini-temes.”  
Mercury eyes blinked comically.  
“Oh.” There wasn’t much else he could say really. Except…. “Weren’t you supposed to paint the walls this weekend?”

Naruto abruptly collapsed over the counter and whined.  
“I was but my **folks** called me 2 **hours** ago telling me to come help them else mom will kick my ass. I leave early tomorrow morning.” Begging blue puppy dog eyes looked at the raven, causing a slim dark brow to twitch. “Hewp me owt?”  
The other brow started twitching.  
“Of course.” he managed to press out.  
“Yay!” _  
‘Yup. I'm a fool.’_

-

As it turned out, Haruno Sakura was a force of nature. And pink. She whirled into the store on heels that had the raven’s feet aching just from seeing them and she cooed over the decorations for at least 15 minutes before turning to the wide-eyed owner with a gleam in her eye that had him taking a hesitant step backwards.  
“Aburame Shino?” she shot from the hip. “Can we go to his place right now? Do you have the keys to his shop? Can I see that too? He's a marvellous chef so I'm sure a café will be a walk in the park for him, right? Sasuke can’t cook for the life of him but ‘Ruto always refused when I'm around so we always end up ordering takeout and he hates it because he always fights with Sasuke who insults the food although he actually likes it.” She abruptly silenced when she realized she had overwhelmed the poor man.

Having unconsciously triggered her maternal instinct Shino pressed out a choked ‘yes, ma’am, I have the key!’… and was gifted with a sweet smile. “I'm glad he has you.” the pinkette mused. “We were worried he'd be lonely, coming to a new country like this but with you here he seems to have settled down just fine. He talks a lot about you.”  
Talk about catching someone off guard.  
“Uhm… thank you?”  
“No, I'm the grateful one.” She flashed him a grin. “Can we go to his store now? Please? I know it’s in the middle of the day and that your store is open but its Saturday after all. Can’t you close earlier?”

“Eh… it’s about time to close anyways and his shop is right next door.” the Aburame mumbled while moving around the counter. He locked the front door, grabbed his coat and the two sets of keys from the backroom and showed the Haruno to the backdoor. “This way, ma’am, I’ll just lock up and then I’ll help you.”  
“Please try to rub some of those manners off on ‘Ruto, will you? I love him like a brother but he doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘tact’.”

The spectacled man shrugged while walking up to the next door over, already fiddling with the keys.  
“He’s very straightforward, that he is, but I'd say he's very intuitive towards people’s feelings and moods. He knows when and whom to be direct with and he knows when to tone it down.” He glanced at the stunned woman before pulling the door open. “Can you say the same about your boyfriend?”  
“Fiancée.” Sakura absentmindedly corrected. “And no, I can’t. Sasuke is the kind of man that looks like he swallowed something bitter if he has to say something nice so he's usually silent and brooding around people. He's straightforward too but more in the cruel sense of the word.” she mumbled, not really noticing that she followed the Aburame. “Sasuke is more in your face with his comments than Naruto's good-natured curiosity.”  
“Congratulations on the engagement.” came the monotonous answer as if he hadn’t heard her monologue at all.  
“Mr Aburame?”  
“Yes?”  
“Do I love the wrong man?”

Oh boy. This woman was as confused as a circle was round. Out of two men she had chosen the least probable one to truly make her happy, at least according to her own description of the two. Not that the raven had any plans on telling her that. He looked away, turning to open the inner door and the way in to the Uzumaki's dream.  
“Only your own heart can tell you that, ma’am. Here it is, the shop.”

While Sakura walked further inside, looking around, cooing while trying to imagine how it would look once it was all finished, the Aburame silently registered all the work that had already been done. The floors were polished shining under the protective paper, all lights and cables were already installed and the counter area was fixed just waiting for the cash register and yummy displays of sweets. All that was left to do was paint the walls which would be done in no time. Well, that and moving in all the furniture, putting up lampshades, bringing in china and all the kitchen appliances. This café would indeed become a dream once it was finished. Even now, with covered windows and tools in the middle of the room, Shino heard chatter, music and laughter rather than the echo of his own steps.  
No doubt this would be the place to go to for a cup of tea or coffee and something yummy to munch on in your free time of with your friends.

“Will he be happy here?”  
“I'm sure he would’ve chosen another place to settle down in if he hadn’t thought so.”  
“You have an answer for every question, don’t you, Mr Aburame?” the pinkette chuckled lowly. “It must drive him crazy.”  
“I was once my job to have all the answers and bad habits are hard to break.” the raven mused. “And if I'm to be honest he has rendered **me** speechless on an occasion or two.”  
This time the Haruno laughed out loud.  
“Doesn’t surprise me at all! He's always asking the wrong questions but he's too lovable to grate on your nerves for long.”

The Aburame chose not to answer that but rather just smiled. Saying anything at all would reveal his sexuality and he preferred to keep that to himself for the time being. Her being a childhood friend of the blonde’s he was sure there’d be more encounters between them in which that would probably come out.  
“Shall we go then, ma’am? I assume you want to pick up what you came for?”

-

Shino stared, rather stupefied, into the big plastic trash bag that his escort had just dumped in the middle of the Uzumaki's living room.  
“You brought a whole plastic bag of instant cup noodles!?”  
Sakura shrugged while going on a rampage through a drawer.  
“He’s crazy about that stuff.” she muttered over her shoulder having dived nose first into the next drawer. “Considering he knows what's in it one would think someone with his culinary schooling wouldn’t touch it with as much as a tong but as you can see, that’s not quite the case.”  
“Culinary schooling? I thought he just wanted to open a coffee shop.”  
“That’s probably true but ‘Ruto is actually a chef. He used to work at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York but to everybody's horror he up and left a few months ago. No one knows why.”  
“Waldorf, huh? That certainly explains the delicious baguettes.”

Shino actually flinched when the Haruno whipped around to stare at him.  
“He let you taste it?”  
Oddly confused the raven hesitantly nodded.  
“Yeah, he made me one for lunch not too long ago.”  
“I’ll kill him!”

Grey eyes blinked comically. Obviously, Sakura was as good at changing mood on a quarter as Naruto was.  
“Pardon?”  
“I’ll kill him! I've asked him countless times to let me try but he refuses! He says something stupid about me being ‘unworthy’!”  
“…eh… oh my…”

Pretty much helpless he watched silently as the livid woman went on a more thorough rampage through the blonde’s apartment. He glanced towards the box sitting innocently on the coffee table, marked ‘pinky’s stuff’.  
Oh my indeed.

-

Naruto sighed heavily and looked around. Clean at last. His apartment had been a disaster area and one thing was for sure, the ramen was **not** worth the time it had taken him to clean up Sakura’s mess. He could only ponder what on earth had set her off that way because although he had been prepared for her to go through his stuff… he hadn’t really expected her to rip it all out and stomp through it a couple of times. And she had wanted to see the shop as well. The blonde paled when he remembered the brand new appliances. Shit! Nervous, he glanced at the clock on the wall. Half past 8 in the early morning. Shino was probably at the store already. Maybe he could shed some light on this.

However… when Naruto got to the Chest, no lights were on and the door was locked. He called the Aburame, both at home and on the cell but no one answered. Suddenly a bit worried about the paler man’s safety, Sakura was a beast when pissed off, he rounded the building to check on his store… and was abruptly floored.  All the walls were painted! The empty buckets were neatly stacked by the door to be disposed of and the guilty one… was sound asleep on the floor curled up in front of the heater.

The dark hair was adorned with a few drips here and there, some of each colour used, the clothes were worn and dirty, just as spotted they. A few drops of paint even stained the pale features, one of them smeared. He was absolutely adorable… and the sweetest thing Naruto had ever seen.

-

When Shino woke up he was held. A firm embrace had caught him and steady breaths fanned across his head. A little disoriented he opened his eyes… and saw that he was cuddled up against his sleeping crush. The Uzumaki had obviously wrapped them both in a blanket and joined him instead of waking him up. He stirred though when Shino moved. Too enthralled by fluttering golden lashes the smaller male watched in silence how the whiskered man woke up fully. Blue eyes slowly focused on pale beautiful features.

“I think you rubbed off on me after all, bug boy.” he mumbled slowly.  
“Pardon?”  
“I've never been attracted to a man before… neither have I ever loved a man before.” came the soft answer. “I thought it was just the novelty but when I walked in here this morning and saw you, all I wanted was to kiss you.” A big tanned hand gently cradled the raven’s head while honest blue eyes darted to slightly parted lips. “Will you let me do that?”

Dark brows, one with a dark purple stain, frowned.  
“But you're straight.”  
“Then explain to me why I want to make love to you.” Naruto swallowed hard. “I know you're male, I know it’s not the same as what I'm used to… and yet I long to hold you. Does that make me bisexual or just gender confused?”

The spectacled man swallowed hard too. Taking care of the walls these past 12 hours had been a whim but he had wanted to do something for not having stopped the pinkette from her trashing.  
“You might not enjoy kissing a man let alone have sex with one.” he rasped out.  
“Let me be the judge of that.” the blonde murmured while slowly leaning down to capture lips he hadn’t even known plagued him. Golden lashes fluttered closed when they finally met. Those lips were warm and soft, just a little on the dry side… and they tasted like ambrosia. He wasn’t even aware of changing grip on the smaller man, he didn’t know he threaded his fingers through the thick ebony coloured tresses, and he had no idea his other hand snaked in under the raven’s thick sweater to feel the pale skin. He was too focused on that incredible mouth with the shy tongue to notice any of it.

Only when the paler man whimpered did he come to enough to realise he was trembling and carefully ended the kiss. Mercury eyes were dazed when they looked at him through dotted glasses. Shino was breathing hard, obviously not prepared for being devoured first thing in the morning. His trembling was probably as much arousal as shock though.  
“Did-… did you enjoy that?” he managed to somehow press out. The hand idly caressing his back was hot and big, so firm yet tender with him. It made his head spin and his nerves burn.  
“I'm still very much straight.” Naruto smiled against slightly swollen lips. “But I'm very much gay for you, no matter what a stupid cliché it might sound like.” he continued before the other man could get any weird ideas. “No other man could ever make me feel like this.”

The Aburame wasn’t entire sure what to say, did he dare believe it? He had to. Letting this one man right here go now would make him a bigger fool than ever.  
“So you want to have sex with me? Now?”  
“Actually not.” The whiskered man nipped a little harsher on a full bottom lip in punishment. “I want to make love to you, I want to savour you and drown you in pleasure until you sigh my name… when we get to a **bed**.”  
“I-… I can only assume you're a very ambitious lover?”  
The larger man laughed out loud having been served that for an answer. He didn’t know the raven loved the sound of his laughter and sighed in bliss in his grip.“I'd like to think I'm a generous lover more than an ambitious one. Being thoughtful and wanting to see my partner writhe in pleasure brings that out in me.”  
“But Naruto… I'm still a **man**.” the Aburame mumbled while moving away. “It’s not the same purely physically speaking and for all your good intentions, without the right knowledge you can end up hurting me pretty bad.”  
The look in those electrical blue eyes was serious when Shino turned around to look back at him.  
“I won’t let that happen, I won’t. So **teach** me. Tell me what to do and how, heck, tell me when and where, but I want to learn how to embrace you without causing you harm.”  
A dark brow rose slowly.  
“Are you aware of that you'll have to put your dick in my ass?”

“You think crude language will scare me away? Think again, I'm used to way worse than that.”  
“Have you ever had anal sex before?”  
“No, I haven’t, I can admit that but I want to try.” A blonde brow rose as well. “If you won’t let me top then I have no qualms with bottoming.” He smirked, knowing the other was speechless. “ **You’re** the one that said roles weren’t cemented in gay relationships.”  
“You’re **straight**!”  
“Not for you.” A tanned hand reached out to caress a pale cheek lovingly. “I genuinely don’t mind taking it if it’s with you, Shino. That’s how serious my feelings are. Don’t worry, I can wait for you, for as long as you need.”

“You really do love me, don’t you?” Shino asked incredulously. “You’ve fallen in love with a man and turned gay in less than a month.”  
This time the whiskered man chuckled instead of bursting out into laughter. His smile was warm and kind.  
“I saw a gem and had to change to get it. I've never been afraid of change and that includes my sexuality. It’s all about a new point of view combined with an open mind… and I trust **you** not to hurt **me.** ”  
“I wouldn’t have expected any less from a renowned chef from New York City.”  
Naruto blushed furiously while muttering lowly.  
“Sakura told you that?”  
“I kind of got the whole story when I praised your sandwiches.”  
The blonde winced.  
“She found out about those?”  
“Yes, why?”  
“That means you're officially my human shield next time she visits.”  
The raven suddenly frowned.  
“Now that I recall, she did say something about ‘unworthy’. What did she mean by that?”

The larger man shrugged after having gracefully gotten to his feet. Might as well answer.  
“When I first told her when I was a brat that I wanted to become a chef, Sakura laughed me straight in the face. When I a few years later in college said that I wanted to become the best she nearly split her gut out of laughter but when I said I was the top chef at the Waldorf she suddenly says she had supported me all along. I'm not particularly fond of liars and hence I deem her unworthy to eat my food. To me that’s the perfect sentence for treason since she can’t even boil eggs herself.” He winked at the stunned raven. “What she doesn’t know is that that boyfriend of hers is **very** worthy because Sasuke has supported me behind her back from scratch. He's been my guinea pig more times than I can remember.”

“Fiancée.” the dark-haired man corrected softly. He hesitated then but decided to continue when the whiskered man suddenly looked so lost. He hadn’t known. “She asked me if she was in love with the right man… those are dangerous thoughts for someone who's going to marry.” Shino walked up to the silent blonde and carefully took a large hand in his. “I don’t know her so I can’t really tell, but when I met her I got the impression she's a very confused girl. Maybe she's just not sure how to find the focus and motivation that you have.”

Why did he look so devastated? He shouldn’t look like this!  
“Sakura has been in love with Sasuke since we all wore diapers, she never gave up on him no matter what.” A sad smile graced the gorgeous features. “She was my first love, you know? I used to confess to her daily and daily she used to punch me while telling me I was annoying and in the way of her love fairy-tale. For her to change her mind **now…** it seems kind of absurd.” Deep blue eyes met concerned grey. “I haven’t loved her more than a sister for years and Sasuke is my best friend. I don’t want her to hurt him because underneath that tough nut-surface he's actually a good man.”

The fact that he sought comfort in Shino's arms made the paler man’s heart sing. He was usually the weak one but with Naruto so openly displaying confusion and sorrow, it had the Aburame discover new strengths within himself. **He** had strength too. He sighed into the strong shoulder in front of him.  
“With a tenacious woman like that I'm sure your friend will be stuck like glue in marriage in no time, and she’ll probably make damn sure he knows he's happy too. Trust me.”  
The shaking shoulders and barely there chuckle by his ear were the only signs that the Uzumaki appreciated the comfort.

-

Again, AburameShino, former shark on the stock market, found himself very much enjoying the simple pleasure of an indoor floor picnic. Having been kissed senseless for his helping out with the walls and thus keep the blonde’s tight schedule, and since he simply had forgotten to open the store that morning, he had decided to help out carrying in furniture as well. And what a circus it had been.

Naruto had made one phone call and been promised the furniture two hours later. While they waited they had washed windows, unpacked and washed china, cutlery and glasses. They had gone to the store to get candles, ingredients for lunch and they had called for linen and curtains. Just as they got back from the store the truck pulled up and it had been all chaos from there. Tables, stuffed chairs, sofas, lamps, shelves and coat hangers had come out in a crazy tempo along with paintings, mirrors, vases and potted trees. One hour later the truck left and the two men collapsed inside the store. It had taken them the rest of the day to assemble what needed assembling, unpack, wipe off dust and place it all where it was to be. But at least the worst part was over and the café was almost ready for customers. Sure, all wall ornaments were still on the floor, some of the spotlights needed to be put up and the shelves that would be on the walls filled with old books and whatnots later, still hadn’t been put together. But they had time.

“Let me get this straight. You worked on Wall Street, handling millions of dollars **daily** , you even went to my restaurant a few times… and you got **bored!?** ”  
The Aburame nodded while chewing. He drank some wine before answering.  
“It was a hectic life. I think I drank 2 pots of coffee daily, I rarely had time to eat properly, I slept even less and with Kiba’s infidelity on top of that I was on my merry way towards a grand slam of an ulcer. I simply had to get away for the sake of my health, both physically and mentally.”  
Naruto watched him wide-eyed, having forgotten about the glass of wine in his hand completely.  
“Now, I can understand **that** , working in a large-scale kitchen with 20 chefs under you while roaring out orders left and right isn’t exactly healthy but… why did you move **here?** This is a small town on a mountain in the Alps! While I can find a restaurant anywhere, the thrill of the stock market is a little trickier to duplicate.”  
The spectacled man smiled over the edge of the glass.  
“But I don’t miss that life. I wanted to settle down, run a bookstore and relax. I can admit that this place is boring occasionally but I'd rather be bored than return to 4 hour nights, 5 minute breakfasts, approaching grey hairs and heart attacks every time there was a traffic jam on the highway.”  
“I'm proud of you.”

Mercury eyes blinked at the sudden praise.  
“Why?”  
The blonde shrugged getting to his feet to take care of their empty plates.  
“Coming from that kind of life, with all the hard work that lead there, it’s not easy to suddenly resign and go for an entirely different tempo. I like to change so for me it wasn’t all that hard but what made me leave was the stress. I want to be able to come home in the evening and watch a movie or something instead of standing in a kitchen until 5 in the morning. I want to have a life more than a perfect career.”

“You amaze me.” Shino mused. “I've heard about the elite-chefs and their crazy schedules. Many of them go straight from one restaurant to another and in the end they work themselves sick because they always want to be the best. At least the stock market closes at night.” He peered curiously at the larger man. “Will you stop cooking altogether now?”  
The Uzumaki chuckled, shaking his head.  
“Never. Cooking is my passion. But I’ll keep it to cooking for my lover and friends rather than the crème de la crème in the Big Apple.”

The blonde wasn’t prepared on any level when pale hands snaked around his waist and in under his sweater to greedily map out deliciously accentuated abs. He almost squeaked when they moved higher to trace both pectorals teasingly before only ghosting around already hardening nipples. One thing he had conveniently forgotten was that men in most cases were more aggressive than women… unless we’re talking about career-harpies of course and the smaller male certainly was no harpy. Blue eyes almost rolled back when agile fingertips pinched perked tops carefully. He had never been so sensitive to touch before.  
“Well, since I refuse to be just a friend…” the raven purred behind him. “Let’s get you initiated as a gay man.”

-

They had held hands like children, running to the raven’s apartment all giddy with happiness and expectations. Shino had barely hauled his keys up before lips and teeth descended on his neck, kissing and nipping greedily while warm hands went on rebellious rampage under his layers of clothing.  
It had never taken him so long to put a key in a lock before. They had stumbled inside the warm apartment only lit up by an advent star in the window, simply devouring each other’s mouths.

The Aburame moaned when those strong hands slid down to help themselves to firm lobes. For being a straight man the blonde sure knew how to treat a male lover.  
“You smell so good, Shino.” Naruto breathed over his ear, successfully eliciting goose bumps all over the paler man’s body. “I can’t get enough of your smell!”  
“I’ll let you sniff as much as you want.” the raven moaned arching into the permanently tanned man’s embrace. “Just close the door!”

Mercury eyes rolled back when the Uzumaki pulled his hips towards another aroused pair. He didn’t hear the door slam shut but he did feel how his body pressed against the broad chest as the taller male leaned against it and pulled him along. Pale hands didn’t waste a single second, they flew in under the blonde’s sweaters and up, pushing the fabric up until the other had no choice but to lift his arms to get it all off and out of the way. The garments fell to the floor in a rustle along with the jacket.

Naruto moaned out loud when hungry lips moved on to the pulse point in his neck. The Aburame had lost all inhibitions and was now exploring the permanently tanned body greedily. He caressed every patch of soft skin he could reach while tasting, nibbling and kissing all while his hips moved tauntingly against the other man’s. He was so turned on, so ready for this, for Naruto, that he trembled under the just as needy touches. He felt it, the hunger in the blonde, the roaring desperation for **him** , and he wanted to set that free. No one had ever needed him like this before, no one had been so desperate for **him** before… and he relished in it. The hands on his body were as fervent as his own, they pulled at his clothes, tugged at his hair and skin. Both men groaned into the almost brutal kiss when the whiskered man suddenly pushed away from the door.

“Bedroom.” he panted against equally swollen lips. “Where’s-… the bedroom-”  
“This way.” Shino cut him off. He was already backing in the direction of the other door opening pulling the Uzumaki along by the belt in his jeans. Compared to his old apartment this one was puny. It had a small bedroom in one end and an equally small bathroom in the other, with a combined kitchen living room in the middle. It was a cosy apartment but the sightseeing would have to wait for later.

A desperate mewl rolled over tender lips when they reached the surprisingly big bed and the foot end abruptly stopped their journey with a fall. The pale body arched when soft lips closed over a sensitive nipple making it harden even more under the harsh suction. It felt so good! The Aburame couldn’t but rear up against the larger male when strong hands pulled his pants and underwear down over his hips and thighs… followed by that hot mouth over his chest and lower abdomen. Only when Naruto reached a sharp hipbone did he nip at it, hesitating about what do now when he had removed the offending clothing. He waited there, licking and kissing while looking up, seeking grey hazy eyes.

“Tell me what to do, Shino, guide me so I can give you pleasure.” he husked. “Teach me.”  
Breathing heavily, the raven met those piercing blue eyes. He could see the Uzumaki wanted to taste the hard flesh so close, he wanted to inhale the musky scent straight from the hilt but he wasn’t sure how to go about it.  
The paler man licked his lips… and shook his head. Carefully he pulled the blonde up and switched their positions.  
“No.” he mumbled while almost absentmindedly getting rid of the whiskered man’s remaining clothes off. “I’ll **show** you. I’ll show you what kind of pleasure a man who knows how it’s done can give.”  
“But I- oh, **gods!** ”

The blonde’s protests were all forgotten as the Aburame licked up the hilt only to without a single warning take the rigid flesh in his mouth and swallow it whole. The raven had missed this, the tang of precum on his tongue and the feeling of hard cock down his throat. He rather liked cock sucking but always being the one to give had made him stop complying. Not now though because Naruto graced him with a symphony of delicious sounds and noises. He growled, whined, gasped and begged while trying frantically not to move against the skilled mouth working on him. His whole body trembled all the way to the hands fisting and releasing the ebony-coloured hair in their need to hold the raven still so he could thrust. He didn’t but oh how he wanted to.

His voice came out in husky cracks when he realized he was too close not to at least warn the other.  
“Shin-, I'm-, I'm gonna-” he tried but had to swallow to give his dry throat some moisture. “Close!” he tried again. “Gonna-… come!”  
Only then was he finally heeded. Shino licked his lips but didn’t let go of the weeping member while watching the Uzumaki hungrily. He rather enjoyed having the blonde under his thumb like this. The hint of a predatory smile was positively wicked.  Blue eyes widened.  
“We can’t have that, can we? No, you're gonna come when you're inside me and not a second sooner.”

Naruto couldn’t but watch how the Aburame crawled up over his body to straddle slender hips. His head was still spinning after **the** best blowjob of his life and as he watched how the other reached out towards the bedside table, fishing up a bottle and small square foil packages, he could literally feel his pulse shoot through the roof.  
“You’re well-prepared.” he rasped, enthralled by the pale hands opening the bottle cap. It earned him a low chuckle. Transparent gel made pale hands glisten.  
“I don’t like making a mess when I'm alone.” came the calm answer. Grey eyes darkened. “But we’ll put these to better use now, hm?”

Whatever the whiskered man would’ve answered completely disappeared from his mind when those pale hands spread firm lobes and a finger slid in, ripping a moan from the Aburame. He knew he was lewd but he didn’t care, he wanted Naruto to see how he prepared himself for him, how he stretched his hole enough to take the hard cock weeping at attention right behind him. He saw those amazing cobalt blue eyes being glued to where he openly spread himself to show it all and he knew from the tongue darting out to wet dry lips that the blonde would most definitely feast on him in a not too far away future. He longed for that day.

Pale hips couldn’t but move a little when a second finger slid in. Placing his other hand on a strong tan knee for support, the raven leaned back and watched gorgeous whiskered features stare where pale fingers scissored to stretch the tight muscle. It wasn’t the most comfortable position to stand on his feet instead of his knees but it sure offered a better view.

Naruto was the one to whimper when a third slender finger slid in. It was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. Women didn’t even come close and the urge to lean forward to taste the precum oozing out of the proud cock was so strong it had him salivating copiously. But he wanted to see that tight ass being spread even more. Tanned hands gripped pale thighs almost desperately when the dark-haired man withdrew his fingers. Dark azure eyes darted up to beautiful features only for a second before returning to that pink pucker positively winking at him. Shino's voice was a grate on his already raw nerves.  
“Enjoying the show, are we?”

The Uzumaki could only nod, he had seriously forgotten how to speak. “But more than my fingers…” The Aburame leaned forward to openly lick slightly parted lips. It earned him a whimper. “I want your cock in me.”  
The raw power he felt seeing this strong man so obviously leaving all control to him was dizzying. Naruto submitted beautifully and although he'd surely take some control back when he gained more confidence in this field, his blind trust was the strongest aphrodisiac the raven had ever felt before.

The whiskered man watched in mesmerized silence how his lover rolled on a condom, poured more lube over his neglected length and raised his hips. He lost all coherent thinking whatsoever when that little hole oh so slowly accepted the head inside. Shino shuddered at the feeling. He hadn’t bottomed in almost 2 years now and the cock he was sliding down on was by no means small… but he wanted to feel that sting of being entered again, he craved it so three fingers had been enough. And it felt so **good!  
** Just to torture them both he took one delicious centimetre at a time, savouring how his ass slowly stretched around the hard flesh, welcoming it into his body. Only when he was fully seated, the blonde buried down to the very hilt, did he wait. Not to adjust… but to hear the Uzumaki beg.

Whiskered features were desperate, strong hands had a vicelike grip on pale thighs, surely enough to leave bruises, but the raven didn’t mind, in fact, he wanted marks. Naruto was **his,** and with every greedy squeeze he cemented that. Gods, the hot length was pulsing it felt so good, he wanted to move so badly-  
“-ease… Shino, I-… plea-…”  
Yes! Just a little more!  
“…please…” What fraction of coherent thinking he had left, Naruto had mustered to press out in one word.  
And he got his reward.

Having expected the smaller male to move slowly he was completely shell-shocked at suddenly being brutally ridden. Those pale hips slammed themselves down on him, causing the whiskered man to hiss in shock and overwhelming need. Beautiful features were almost drugged in the concentration to keep impaling himself again and again and again. Dizzy, the Uzumaki turned hazy eyes to his lover’s cock. He hadn’t tasted it, hadn’t even touched it although he had had enough chances to do both, and the Aburame had done so much more.  
Trying desperately to hold the impending orgasm back he reached out and carefully stroked the neglected shaft.  
It earned him the sexiest mewl he had ever heard!

Pleading grey eyes locked with his as Shino shifted a little and moaned on the next descent. He hadn’t been prepared on being touched so soon and only now did he realize he might have underestimated just **how** open-minded the permanently tanned man actually was.

Naruto wasn’t sure if what he was doing was right but figured he'd do what he liked himself and went from there. The Aburame's body jerked when he brushed a thumb over the weeping slit. He temporarily lost rhythm when a strong hand stroked him… accompanied by a hand snaking up over the pale stomach to caress aching nipples, to pull carefully and tease. How the larger man could even **think** to tease at this point was beyond Shino's horizon. He was so concentrated on hitting that elusive gland he could barely think at all much less try to crack the blonde’s remaining fraction of control. A tanned hand sliding over his perineum, caressing his prostate from outside as the hard cock hit it right on on the inside was the Aburame's undoing. His body tensed, froze him completely as the sensations wrecked his mind with wave after wave of dark pleasure.

He wasn’t sure who screamed, he wasn’t even sure if it was he or the other that had cursed, but he **did** know whose senses and which ones had short-circuited. His and all of them but touch. Vision, hearing, smell and taste, he was left in blissful darkness while his body shook violently, releasing itself over them both. For several minutes after the pleasure had faded into a soothing hum, he still trembled in small after tremors while his heart slowly returned to a calmer tempo. Narrowing his eyes to focus he peered down at the blonde. He looked as if he had been struck by lightning. His eyes were wide, staring unseeingly at the paler man as strong hands gripped and released slender hips time after another. The sculptured chest heaved still despite the strong body trembling underneath the Aburame. Dusky nipples were still hard and oversensitive. His Adams apple worked as he swallowed repeatedly.

“I…” he began but had to swallow again. Blue eyes finally managed to lock with grey ones. “I think-… I think I just forgot half my recipes.” he pressed out hoarsely.  
Shino blinked at the stunned whiskered features… and then started chuckling until he laughed out loud at the rather odd phrase. His laughter ended abruptly though when the larger male suddenly spun them around and ground his hips against him, ripping a moan from slightly swollen lips. “I’ll be more active next time.” came the husky mumble. “I'm a fast learner you see and now I want to try to make you feel what you just hit me over the head with.” Another moan left the raven when he felt the Uzumaki grow hard inside him.  
“I don’t know any recipes to begin with.” Shino rasped only to hiss when the blonde slipped out. The few moments it took him to change to a new condom felt like forever.  
Naruto leered as he spread pale thighs to nudge at the stretched hole.  
“Don’t worry, baby.” he purred. “I'm sure I can thrust Wall Street right out of you.”  
The Aburame couldn’t but hold on and enjoy the ride.

-

Almost a year later…

-

Shino smiled when the door opened to let a whirlwind of pink inside. Sakura stood out like sore thumb in her pink boots, skirt and jacket among all the skiers and snowboarders and other sports clad people in the shop. He absentmindedly kissed her cheek when she leaned in over the counter.  
“I could’ve come pick you up.” he mused when wide green eyes looked around. A lot had changed since her last visit.  
“Of course not.” she brushed him off. “Sasuke jumped at the idea of driving a jag all the way here on all those crooked roads. Wow, this place really changed!”  
“Of course. We reopened only a few weeks ago.” There was pride in his voice and rightfully so.

On Christmas Eve Naruto had given his starry-eyed seduced lover the world. He had asked him to join his bookstore with the café, to share each other’s dreams. Feeling on top of the world with a heart ready to burst with love a humiliated Shino had answered, after a punch to a strong arm for having made him cry, that he'd have to work while enduring noise from carpenters. He had been made love to slowly that night, gently, tenderly, lovingly.  
He **did** remember Wall Street but the blonde was steadily getting it out of him… especially since the Aburame's boss had called and virtually begged for him to return.

As it was now the counter to the raven’s shop was located in the middle of the store where the wall between the two stores had been. The one for the cafe was far in against the wall for the only reason that it needed close access to the dishwasher room. It had been an impulse more than anything but they had actually managed to put in a cast iron stove in a corner where there was always a homely fire crackling during winter and it had become the most favoured corner to sit in since day one. They helped each other out as much as they could, which meant Shino had had to learn how to handle the espresso machine and Naruto to get a grip on what was what and where in the book section. Despite having had to hire people they still found themselves swamped occasionally though. They thrived in it, in their shop and the stress it came with, in their life together and in their shared house that they had gotten since neither wanted to live cramped up in an apartment.

Still smiling he turned to press a kiss to greedy lips when the very blonde in question wrapped his arms around the Aburame's middle from behind. He virtually purred.  
“Hi there, Sakura. Where did you lose that teme of yours?”  
“I'm right here, dobe.” came the answer from behind the pinkette. “I had to carry all of her stuff up to the guestroom and it took forever with all those stairs. Nice view of the mountains though.”

Shino nodded as the two gave each other a brotherly hug while talking about only Gods knew what. The only reason the Uchiha had accepted his best friend’s choice in lover was because upon his first meeting with Shino the raven hadn’t as much as blinked when met with the famous death-glare. Rather, he had been unimpressed and continued admiring the view from Sakura's penthouse. While Naruto had found it immensely amusing the other raven hadn’t been as pleased. His threats had been met with a very calm look and an equally calm ‘you can try’.  
The Uzumaki though knew his best friend was only looking out for him and actually very happy with the intellectual challenge. No one had seen right through him before and the bespectacled man turned out to be a really hard nut to crack when it came to pure strategic games. He hadn’t given up yet.

Grey eyes turned to the Haruno when she sighed heavily but her look was fond when she watched their two men, just recently turned into a trio.  
“He forgave us for not telling him immediately about the engagement.” she smiled. “You ruined our surprise but he forgave us.”  
“He’s not one to hold a grudge.” Shino answered the smile while watching his lover. Gods, he really loved that man!  
Then he smirked, not looking at the sulking woman. “Are you ‘worthy’ yet, Sakura?”  
“I've apologized countless times but he won’t listen to me!” She glanced right back at the smug man. “Can’t you convince him to give it up? He loves you and would do anything for you.”

Being the former stock market shark that he was, the Aburame focused his entire attention on the pinkette.  
“What’s it worth to you?”  
“You want something from me to do this? I made Sasuke accept you!”  
“He accepted me because I kicked his ass at chess and Naruto would know within a heartbeat that I was up to something if I asked him to forget it. Not to mention he'd make me talk using unfair methods so yes, I want something for the trouble.”

She eyed him suspiciously while thinking. His sharp intellect was barely hidden in those grey eyes behind the glasses he wore but she saw it clearly enough.  
“I’ll invite you to my wedding.”  
“Already Naruto's plus one.” he deadpanned.  
A pink eyebrow twitched. He was undeniably a tough player.  
“I’ll get you a set of his baby pictures.”  
A dark brow rose. Slowly.  
“His mother smuggled a set out of the house and sent me a week or so ago.”  
Which Naruto knew nothing about. The raven intended to keep it that way since all other options came with the blonde relieving him of that particular treasure. And that was not acceptable.  
“I’ll tell you a secret concerning you.”

Sakura smirked when the spectacled man scrutinized her as suspiciously as she had watched him just a moment earlier. He knew she sat on a lot of juicy information about the Uzumaki being her friend since many years but… what would she be willing to share?  
“I'm listening.” he said hesitantly.  
“Tell me you'll do it and I’ll give you something to listen to.”  
Grey eyes narrowed while glaring at her.  
“This better be worth it.” he finally pressed out.

Two sets of eyes watched as the Aburame leaned down to let Sakura whisper something in his ear. And if judging by the slight pink soon blooming on pale cheeks whatever she had shared was private… and intimate. Sasuke chuckled at the tired sigh from the blonde. No doubt it was his business she had shared.  
“I'm not sure I want to know where that came from.”  
“Don’t worry, if she humiliates you, you know I’ll get back at her for you later, dobe.”  
Happy cerulean eyes turned to amused obsidian. Yup, like brothers.

Naruto turned back to watch his lover tend to a customer, a soft smile playing on kissable lips. He knew how skilled that mouth was, he had learned that pleasure and how to give it back. These past months had gone by so fast, from their first meeting to becoming friends, lovers… and so much more. He saw the surprise on pale features when he suddenly walked up to the Aburame, took his hand… and kneeled.  
“My beautiful, precious Shino… marry me and make me the happiest man on earth.” His words came from the very bottom of his heart, they rolled off his tongue in a low murmur and echoed in those deep cobalt blue eyes.  He hadn’t planned on asking this way, in front of an entire café filled with oohing and aahing strangers, but this was when it felt right.

Silent he watched how wide steel grey eyes stared at him… and filled with tears. One crystal clear trop slowly rolled down a beautifully blushing cheek. Shino's voice didn’t crack when he finally answered, but damn close. He sucked in a shaky breath and smiled.  
“I fucking hate you for making me cry with so much people around, Uzumaki.”

Naruto pressed a gentle kiss to the slightly trembling hand never once breaking his contact with those grey eyes. Absentmindedly he cursed himself for not having planned this better.  
“Is that a yes?” he asked unsurely. And earned the most breath-taking of smiles. He didn’t need more than that.  
Without a single word more he rose to his feet and swooped his sobbing lover up into a tight warm hug. “I love you so much, Shino.” he whispered into a sensitive ear. “You saw me that morning, it was love at first sight. I love you.”

“Why couldn’t you have asked **me** like that, Sasuke? You weren’t romantic at all!”  
Sakura's low whine was met with a very heavy sigh from the Uchiha and laughter from everybody else.  
“Thanks, **dobe,** I’ll never get to forget this one.”  
“You shouldn’t either!” Naruto laughed over the Aburame's shoulder. Tears were stinging his own eyes. “You brought her to Harrods, gave her your credit card and told her to pick a ring she wanted like the guy from _‘Sweet Home Alabama’_.”  
“At least I gave her one, usuratonkachi.”  
“Damn!”

“He has one.” Shino sighed happily from the firm embrace that had yet to put him down on the floor. “He just forgot it in his jacket pocket back in the office.” He still couldn’t believe the pinkette had been right. _‘He asked his dad to send him his grandfather’s ring. His mother has his grandmother’s but the other one he’ll give to you.’_  
For the first time in his life Shino felt truly happy. He shared his dream, they shared each other’s in their joined bookstore/café _The Golden Scarab_ … and now they'd share their lives.

Judging by the blush on Sakura's cheeks she had just been graced with a glare of great proportions but the Aburame didn’t really care. He'd try to convince the blonde later to give his grudge up, when in bed and he knew he'd get away with it.  
“Well, since _someone_ ratted on me I'd better go fetch it.” came the sour mumble before the whiskered man released him to drag his friends out to the office in the back. The raven sighed while returning to his counter to take care of the customers, smiling to greet the next as the door pinged open.  
“Welcome to the Golden Sca-…” His voice died when he saw who had just stepped through his door. “Scarab.” he finished monotonously while returning to his duties. “Long time no see.” He would’ve preferred to it keep it that way.

Black slitted eyes widened in shock at the sudden sight of his former lover.  
“Shino!”  
“What can I do for you, sir? Anything in particular you're looking for?”  
“Shino, I've been looking for you everywhere! You quit your job and now you work here and-” the brunet gushed words obviously thrilled to see the spectacled man again. Before the Aburame could as much as blink the other wrapped his arms around him, holding him hard while pressing his nose to the raven’s nape to inhale his smell. “I've missed you so much.”  
“It’s not mutual. Please let go of me, Inuzuka.”  
Confused the tattooed man turned to look at solemn features. But he didn’t let go of him.  
“Shino?” came a low voice from behind him.

Grey eyes fluttered closed. Great. The one person he **didn’t** want to see him in the arms of another man had come out from the back right in time to see just that. “What’s going on?”  
Kiba turned to the tall blonde blinking at them.  
“Who’re you?”

Shino finally snapped at the possessive tone in the brunet’s voice and pushed him away. He had no right to use that tone, not now, and he hadn’t had it before.  
“He’s my business partner, best friend and fiancé.” he answered calmly, silently giddy for being allowed to Uzumaki **his.** “He’s my everything. He patched me up when I hadn’t even realized you crushed me.”

Having paled at the harsh words Kiba stared at how the Aburame almost leisurely slid into the softly smiling blonde’s embrace. He looked like he belonged there.  
“Fiancé? But it’s not even a year since-” he tried but was cut off.  
“Since you cheated on me with some random guy for whatever reason? Yeah, it’s not even a year since then. However, this is my life now and I **love** him like I never loved you. You're a finished chapter, Kiba, accept it and move on with whomever you came here on vacation with.”  
“But I-… love you.” came the pitiful answer.

“You came too late.” Naruto mumbled watching the brunet calmly. “Had you truly loved him you wouldn’t have betrayed him the way you did, you would’ve done everything in your power to beg for forgiveness and worked you ass off to re-earn his trust. You would’ve come after him here.” A blonde brow rose. “You did none of those things and if you try to come between me and Shino now, I’ll crush you like the unfaithful mutt you are.”

The ice-cold steel in the usually joyful azure shocked more than just the Aburame. Sasuke and Sakura obviously hadn’t seen this side to him either. The Uchiha sighed while shaking his head. On the inside though he was smiling like a loon for having rubbed off on his seemingly uninfluenced childhood friend after all.  
“I'd take him seriously if I were you.” he mused. “This dobe may look all happy-go-lucky but under the surface he's a beast.”

The fact that the Uzumaki actually **loomed** over the brunet only served to scare the brunet more. Having whimpered a barely there ‘I'm sorry!’ he abruptly fled the store…without whatever he had come for to begin with.  
Just about to say something the spectacled man only blinked when furious lips claimed his. The gentleness he was so used to was nowhere to be seen as the permanently tanned man plundered him of everything he had. Still staring dazedly he continued blinking when the blonde with a huff slid warm metal onto his finger.  
“You belong to me now, Shino, and I’ll never let you go, not without a fight. Remember that.” Having cursed lowly at the Aburame's lack of response he hurried to the café counter when Konohamaru called again. The coffee grinder was having hissy fits again.

“I had no idea ‘Ruto had such a possessive side.” Sakura mumbled lowly from one of the tables. “Or such an aggressive one.”  
“He’s always been like that.” sighed Sasuke while claiming the stuffed chair opposite his fiancé’s. “He’s just been smart enough to hide it since his temper always has been a tinderbox.”  
“It’s quite romantic.” the pinkette sighed dreamily not caring about the blush on her cheeks.  
“Aren’t I possessive enough for you? Aren’t I **aggressive** enough for you?” The Uchiha's pride had apparently been hit.  
“If you're too loud tonight he’ll make you sleep in the basement.” Shino mumbled while watching the ring on his finger. It was old and worn but the gold still shone in the light from the lamps in the windows. This was a ring that had been worn with pride and love… and would continue to be.

A soft smile slowly graced the pale beautiful features as the raven tuned out the bickering couple while turning towards his whiskered lover. He had his future right here in those cobalt blue eyes. And as he walked towards that waiting embrace he knew it would always be open and waiting for him, would always love him and forever treasure him for who he actually was. His Christmas-wish had come true in the end.

He never knew that while he walked up to his beloved and kissed him senseless to the loud cheer of all their guests, one particular star twinkled just a little faster before fading… for this time.

 

The end

 

**Author's Note:**

> I used to love this story… then I let my roommate read it. She laughed her ass off saying it was the cheesiest and most ridiculous story she had ever read. I decided to post it anyway seeing as I've intended to do so for 5 years now. I know there’re a lot of clichés in there and I know some of the comments are ridiculous but hey, I'm a hopeless romantic, cut me some slack. At least I write better than she does -_-
> 
> As late as this may be, Merry Christmas, everyone, and may you all have a great Happy New Year!
> 
> I luff you all lots.


End file.
